Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-30
'MILDEVED AND MUSTY,
An Hour Among the Ancient Records in the
Court House Vaults.
A LITTLE DISCREPANCY FOUND
Between Accepted History and the Yellow
Documents on File.
An ABLE HISTORIANS CHANCE.
There is q difference.


Ebenezer Zane, together with his brothers
Jonathan and Silss, preceded all other
actual settlers on the site of Wheeling,
locating here in ITO.
But the records of Ohio county do not
seem to bear this ont.
The original records in Clerk Hooks Of
fee, which go back one hundred and ten
years, dating from the first organization OF
the county in l777, and containing refer
ences to settlements made five years
before, do not place the Zanes in the posi-
ton of being the earliest actual settlers,
whatever history may have to say on the
subject. This raises a question, the solu-
ton of which will be very interesting read
ing to many of the people of this city.
The earliest reference which REGISTER
representative has been able to find after
close search, is to the date l712, and oc-
ours in the record of two surveys made by
Robert Woods for James Caldwell, Of 400
acres Of land each, tbs first commencing at
the mouth OF Wheeling creek and extend
ing south along the river to point about
half way to the mouth of what is now
known as Cald wells run, and the second
commencing where this tract ended and
running on down along the river shore to
the mouth Of the run, the two tracts thus
lying side by side and extending back over
the ridge quite a long distance, The en-.
try of the survey is dated March 20, 1881,
aud the record says that the measurements
were made according to a settlement
made in l772." This ZIP" is the very
earliest date on record. The entry, like
| hundreds OF other early ones, Is accompa.
MED with a neat pen,and ink outline map,
which shows the LAY of the land" at
glance, and is very valuable feature of
the mrSty old documents.
The earliest record in which either of the
Zanes are mentioned seems to be the one
dated March u, 1871, which details the
| plat of a survey made by Mr.. Woods for
| Col. Ebenezer Zane, of 400 acres of lard
Tin Ohio county, including his settlement
made in the year l774, by virtue of q GER
| tifcate from the commissioner Tor the dis
trict of Monongala, Yohagania and
Ohio, dated November "a, lT1i This
survey Of 400 acres included all the land
lying between the mouth of Wheeling
creek and point ON the shore of the river
about where the foot of Fourth street is
now located, extending back to the creek,
and following its w.ndings from the his
toEic locality of McCulloch's leap around
to the Ohio. Ii thus included all the bot
tom land now embraced within the limits
of the Second, Third and Fourth wards,
together with most of the First, and
Wheeling hill and had at about its cen
trail point on the river the celebrated Fort
Henry. Adjoining this tract on the north
was tract surveyed foY Jonathan Zane on
March "a, 1871, according to settlements
made in l'iIG " This tract included 40
acres.
The Island was not surveyed until May
4, 1874, and IS recorded according to set
Element made by EbenezeT Zane, IN III"
| This survey called for 2S5 acres, but did
not include all the Island, there being
considerable portion at the extreme south
ern point, where tue State Fair grounds
aAAG Low AOtdiNtf WHICH, GhANGullO was uOJ
desired by the doughty and adventurous
Colonel
These i've surveys, 10 wit: the two for
James Caldwell, south of the creek, the |
one for Jonathan XaIe, and the two for
EbeneZer Zane, cover about all Of the pres
ent site OF the city OF Wheeling, ard u
study OF the documents, together with
those OF the adjoining land, develops
good deal that is interesting. But it does |
not solve the discrepancy ss TO oates, re- |
ferred to at the outset of this article OF |
course we all know that white men
visited the site OF this city long
before l772 Between 1855, the |
GATE of Braddock's defeat, and
no, when Washington made his trip
down the Ohio, there were many visits by
white men TO what is now the Pan Handle, |
and doubtless Col. Ebenezer Zane first
came over the mountains in l76S, rs is al |
legged IN the scattered historical writings
and narratives of hunters and explorers,
but these early birds, if the phase may be
allowed, do not seem TO have made legal |
settlement anywhere. Probably the settle |
ment made south Of Wheeling creek, by
James Caldwell in l772, was the first one
in which the requirements of the Common |
wealth of Virginia had been complied With, |
but he that as il may, the Caldwell settle |
nent is dated two years earlier than that |
Of Col. Ebeuezer Zane Who can throw |
additional light on this matter?
Those old musty records in Recorder |
Hook office are full of interest. There is |
yeritable mine OF curious aud quaint in |
formation there. Many attempts have |
been made to extract this data, but the !
job so far has been bunglingly done In |
other words, the history of Ohio county |
has yet to be written. II should be done |
soon, before the written evidence is de-
stroyed by "the gnawing tooth of time"
These papers have stood the handling OF
lawyers and others for one hundred and |
ten years. They are yellow as to color, |
tattered about the edges, and the good ink
Of our loreiathers is rapidly taking on
very pale cs st of countenance.. Even now
parts of the outline maps and the text OF
the books along the margins are very diff
cult TO make ont. 1t will soon be impCs
sible TO DO so
In these old records will be found in de-
tail the first organization of Ohio county,
the initial steps being taken at the house
OF EZekisl Detwiler, December -, ZIG,
and consummated at Blacks cahbiu" on
the waters of Short creek, in the following
January. In this 'cabbin" the laudowp.
ers Of the county met in pursuance to
summons sent out by John McCullocb,
in pursuance OF orders of the General As
sembly of the Commonwealth, and having
selected the cabin as the county seat,
selected Justices Of the Peace, who, sitting
as 2 Court, commissioned the first High
Sheriff" John McCulloch. The frst bust
ness transacted by this Court was the APP
pointing of military officers, and then the
first county road was laid out, it extending
! Fl m the river to the first fork of Vince
ling creek" Two acres OF land, including
the "cabbin aud spring" were purchased,
and log court house aud Jail were erected,
and thus thus the county was set up in
business. All this is set forth with mi
nuteness, but part OF it has been reprint